PIF Announces Initiatives to Support Saudi Arabia’s Asset Management Industry

The Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced two initiatives to support the development of Saudi Arabia’s asset management industry.
The Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced two initiatives to support the development of Saudi Arabia’s asset management industry.
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PIF Announces Initiatives to Support Saudi Arabia’s Asset Management Industry

The Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced two initiatives to support the development of Saudi Arabia’s asset management industry.
The Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced two initiatives to support the development of Saudi Arabia’s asset management industry.

The Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced two initiatives to support the development of Saudi Arabia’s asset management industry, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Friday.

The announcements, made at PIF’s inaugural Asset Management Forum at the Future Investment Initiative (FII7) in Riyadh, included the PIF Managers Gate Platform and the Portfolio Management Development Program.

The PIF Managers Gate sees the launch of a new digital platform for collaboration between PIF and external fund managers. The portal will enable secure data sharing, improved communications, and the digitization of operational and investment due diligence processes. It will promote growth in the asset management ecosystem by exploring potential opportunities and facilitating PIF’s seamless collaboration with fund managers.

PIF also announced the Portfolio Management Development Program, a comprehensive educational program delivered in partnership with IE University, and sponsored by SNB Capital, that will provide financial market training of the highest quality to aspiring portfolio managers in Saudi Arabia. The program is dedicated to setting a high standard for portfolio management practices within the Saudi market and will play a crucial role in the development and advancement of financial markets in Saudi Arabia.

Abdulmajeed Alhagbani, head of Securities Investment at PIF, said: “The asset management industry plays a vital role to support the efficient allocation of capital and management of risk in the economy, helping to promote economic growth and stability.”

“High-quality professional support, talent and capital are critical enablers of the asset management industry. PIF has significantly contributed to Saudi Arabia’s asset management industry’s access. The announcements demonstrate PIF’s steadfast commitment to the Saudi asset management industry and will support the further development of the industry as well as improving the resilience, depth and quality of Saudi Arabia’s capital markets,” he stressed.

The PIF Asset Management Forum brings together key players in the global asset management industry to discuss critical issues, and further support industry best practices. This year’s forum explored the importance of partnership, collaboration, and PIF’s framework to institutionalize and develop Saudi Arabia’s asset management industry in a series of panel discussions as well as a fireside chat between His Excellency, Capital Market Authority Governor, Mohammed ElKuwaiz and PIF Deputy Governor and Head of MENA Investments, Yazeed Alhumied.



Oil Prices Steady as Markets Weigh Demand against US Inventories

FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)
FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)
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Oil Prices Steady as Markets Weigh Demand against US Inventories

FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)
FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)

Oil prices were little changed on Thursday as investors weighed firm winter fuel demand expectations against large US fuel inventories and macroeconomic concerns.

Brent crude futures were down 3 cents at $76.13 a barrel by 1003 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures dipped 10 cents to $73.22.

Both benchmarks fell more than 1% on Wednesday as a stronger dollar and a bigger than expected rise in US fuel stockpiles pressured prices.

"The oil market is still grappling with opposite forces - seasonal demand to support the bulls and macro data that supports a stronger US dollar in the medium term ... that can put a ceiling to prevent the bulls from advancing further," said OANDA senior market analyst Kelvin Wong.

JPMorgan analysts expect oil demand for January to expand by 1.4 million barrels per day (bpd) year on year to 101.4 million bpd, primarily driven by increased use of heating fuels in the Northern Hemisphere.

"Global oil demand is expected to remain strong throughout January, fuelled by colder than normal winter conditions that are boosting heating fuel consumption, as well as an earlier onset of travel activities in China for the Lunar New Year holidays," the analysts said.

The market structure in Brent futures is also indicating that traders are becoming more concerned about supply tightening at the same time demand is increasing.

The premium of the front-month Brent contract over the six-month contract reached its widest since August on Wednesday. A widening of this backwardation, when futures for prompt delivery are higher than for later delivery, typically indicates that supply is declining or demand is increasing.

Nevertheless, official Energy Information Administration (EIA) data showed rising gasoline and distillates stockpiles in the United States last week.

The dollar strengthened further on Thursday, underpinned by rising Treasury yields ahead of US President-elect Donald Trump's entrance into the White House on Jan. 20.

Looking ahead, WTI crude oil is expected to oscillate within a range of $67.55 to $77.95 into February as the market awaits more clarity on Trump's administration policies and fresh fiscal stimulus measures out of China, OANDA's Wong said.